The Life of the Prophet Muhammad by Ibn Kathir - Volume 2 of 4

56 THE LIFE OF THE PROPHET MUHAMMAD
Then Ibn Ishxq recounts how *rat al-Kawthar (CVIII) was revealed concerning
alLcAs b. W2il when he said of the Messenger of God (SAAS), "He is without a
male child, that is, he has no male offspring. If he dies, memory of him will be
gone." And so God Almighty stated, "He who hates you shall be childless." That
is, he would not be remembered after his death, even if he were to have
thousands of offspring. For remembrance, reputation and credibility do not
depend on multiplicity of children and offspring. We discussed this siirat in our
Tafsir (Exegesis). And to God be all praise.
It has been related from Aba Jacfar al-I3aqir that alLcAs b. W2il said the above
following the death of al-@sim, the son of the Prophet (SAAS). He had reached
an age when he could ride a mule and sit on a thoroughbred mount.
Ibn Ishzq then related the revelation of the verse "... and they say, 'Now if
only an angel had been sent down to him.' If We had sent down an angel, it
would all have been finished!" (slirat al-Ancam; VI, v.8).
This referred to Ubayy b. Khalaf, Zm'a h. al-Aswad, alLCAs h. W2il and
al-Nadr b. al-HZrith having said, "If only God had sent down for you an angel
to tell the people about you."
Ibn Ishaq stated, "The Messenger of God (SAAS), so we have been told,
passed by al-Walid b. al-Mughira, Umayya b. Khalaf and Aba Jahl b. Hisham,
and they insulted and mocked him. This angered him, and at that God Almighty
revealed about them, 'Prophets before you were mocked, but it was their
mocking that trapped them'" (surat al-Allcam; VI, v.10).
I observe that God Almighty also stated, "Prophets before you were mocked.
Yet they bore with fortitude the falsehoods and persecutions until Our help came to
them. No one can change the words of God. And you have received information
about the messengers sent" (surat al-An'zm; VI, v.34). And the Almighty also
said, "We will protect you against those who mock" &rat al-Hajar; XV, v.95).
Sufyxn stated, quoting Jacfar b. Iyyas, from Sacid b. Jubayr, from Ibn 'Ahhas,
that the "mockers" consisted of al-Walid b. al-Mughira, al-Aswad b. 'Abd
Yaghath al-Zuhri, al-Aswad b. al-Mugalib Aha Zamk, al-Haith h. 'Aytil, and
al-'As b. Wxlil al-Sahmi and that: "Gabriel came to him and the Messenger of
God (SAAS) complained to him about them, pointing out al-Walid. And so
Gabriel gestured to his fingertips and said, 'So much for him!'
"He then pointed out to him al-Aswad b. al-Muttalih and Gabriel gestured
towards his neck, saying, 'So much for him!'
"He then pointed out al-Aswad h. 'Abd Yaghath and Gabriel gestured to his
head, saying, 'So much for hi!'
"He then pointed to al-Harith b. Ay~l and Gabriel gestured to his stomach,
saying, 'So much for him!'
"Then al-